Many aspects of aging are definitely out of your hands. While you can’t stop time and can’t modify your genetic makeup, you may take steps to slow down the aging process. Diet has a large influence on how you age at the cellular level. Nutrition may be used as a powerful weapon not just to feed your body with the nutrients it requires to be healthy, but also to help you age gracefully. This has been confirmed by the National Academy of Sciences in a publication they reviewed.

You’re certainly aware that eating well leads to good health, but if you’re wondering if eating well may help you age better, the answer is a resounding yes. The foods you eat have a big influence on how you age. The connection between nutrition, health, and longevity is certainly very strong and certain communities have developed a lifestyle and diet that has proven to have beneficial results.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet has a Pyramid that was created in 1993 by the Harvard School of Public Health, the Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust, and the World Health Organization’s European Office as a guide to assist acquaint individuals with the region’s most frequent foods. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, which was more of an eating pattern than a rigidly prescribed diet plan, stressed particular foods based on the culinary traditions of Crete, Greece, together with southern Italy in the mid-twentieth century. Despite limited access to healthcare, these nations had low rates of chronic illness and higher than average adult life expectancy at the time. The diet, which primarily included fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, olive oil, limited quantities of dairy, and red wine, was thought to contribute to its health advantages. The pyramid also emphasized the need for regular exercise and the additional social benefits of having meals together.

The Reality

Leisurely meals, regular exercise, and the correct foods are not always that easy to fit into people’s everyday life. There are countless people who get by on a sandwich and a soda at lunchtime instead of gathering around a table with their family and friends to enjoy a leisurely meal packed full of nutrients. In these cases, it is important to consider adding items from the following list of supplements:

• Vitamin D.
• Vitamin B-12.
• Calcium.
• Long-chain omega-3s – eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
• Iodine.
• Iron.
• Zinc.

When your diet is constrained by time, money, or habit, it’s easy to overlook vital nutrients.

While nutritional supplements seem to be an easy method to make your meals healthier, they should be approached with care.

Before adding any supplements to your regular diet, consult with your doctor, particularly if you are currently on medication.

Substitutions

If you consume the same meals every day, such as chicken sandwiches or morning cereal, be sure you are receiving the most nutrients possible. Replace low-nutrient foods, such as white bread, with nutrient-dense foods, such as whole wheat, seed, or nut bread. Combine spinach and lettuce in a salad.

Try to substitute whole grains for all wheat products.

Fermented milk products, such as simple yogurt and kefir, are more nutritious than unfermented milk products.

When you want something sweet, drink juices or smoothies instead of pop. But be careful how much you drink! Although they include minerals, juices and smoothies also contain sweets, so restrict your intake.

Final Thoughts

There are so many things that are beyond your control when it comes to nutrition, health, and longevity. In our increasingly industrialized world where time is at a premium, we can so easily slip into unhealthy lifestyles that are detrimental to our health. At some time in the future society will realize that big pharma is not the solution to our health needs and that nutrition holds the key. Until we have changed our lifestyle and allowed time for eating properly, we must endeavor to make the most of what foods we do eat, and supplement this with the intelligent use of appropriate supplements.